Ambiguous
by Rirren
Summary: Tina proposes to Jamie but will an unexpected revelation change her feelings?


Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon and make no money from this fanfic.

AN: I haven't actually played this game before but the whole concept of Jamie's character really intrigued me. It's not beta-read so let me know if you find any mistakes or characterization problems. I would also be welcome to any beta-reading offers. Enjoy!

Ambiguous

Tina breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself down. She checked in her rucksack one last time. Okay, the blue feather was still in there. It was the only thing she'd put in there this morning. Wait, was that enough? Maybe she should have made some jam to give to him before the feather? Would he reject her if she didn't give him any jam!

She stopped her train of thought before it could get out of hand. No. No turning back. No second thoughts. She'd promised herself she would do this. She squared her shoulders and started walking.

She reached Jamie's farm and climbed over the fence. He was watering his tomatoes. He looked up when he heard her approaching and she froze. Maybe she should have come back when he wasn't busy. He didn't like it when she interrupted him.

"What do you want," he said flatly.

Tina blushed when she heard his voice. It was higher than most men's voices, but still low enough, with a hint of masculinity. It was unique and she loved hearing it. It was one of the reasons why she kept visiting him, even annoying him deliberately just to hear him yelling at her.

"I-I-" she stuttered, and when she found she couldn't continue she just grabbed the feather out of her backpack and held it out in front of her, her blushing face bent so she couldn't see his reaction.

There was an agonising pause and then she heard him say incredulously, "Marry me?"

She looked up cautiously, still blushing and nodded.

"You're an idiot," was his response.

But she had expected something like that and carried on waiting. The insults were just part of his personality and she'd learnt a long time ago not to take them to heart.

The purple haired boy scowled and said, "You do realise I'm a girl."

For a few seconds the words didn't even register in Tina's mind and she just stood, still staring and blushing stupidly. And then it hit her. It was a shock like being dropped in ice-cold water. She could feel all the blood draining away from her face.

"But your name-" she managed to say weakly.

"Jamie can be a girl's name too!"

It was just so unexpected that Tina started crying, right in front of Jamie.

With one statement all of her marriage hopes had been completely destroyed. How had she not noticed before? Had Jamie been laughing behind her back every time she brought him-_her_ a present? Had everyone in the village known except her?

Tina could see through her teary vision that Jamie looked incredibly awkward and embarrassed, like she'd never had to deal with someone crying before.

"D-don't _cry_!" said Jamie, stepping back slightly, glancing around as if looking for someone else who could deal with this problem.

"But I-I thought you were a guy! And … and I … I … Now what am I meant to do?" Tina wailed before descending into sobs again.

She covered her face with her hands so she didn't have to look at Jamie's shocked face anymore. The one person in this village she'd wanted to marry. Dan was always dropping hints and she'd even noticed Louis blushing recently when she hung out with him, but she didn't like any of them the way she liked Jamie.

How could she stay in the village after this? What if Jamie started making fun of her because of it? And how would everyone look at her when they found out?

Tina turned around, set on running right out of there but someone grabbed her and stopped her in her tracks. She sniffed, swallowing down another sob and, still facing away from Jamie, said, "I-I'll stay out of your way. I'm so sorry Jamie. You're right, I'm an idiot. I-I don't know how I could've made such a s-stupid mistake."

Her voice wavered at the last few words and she ran before she could embarrass herself any further.

"Wait!"

Tina contemplated ignoring the shout but she stopped and turned around. If Jamie wanted an explanation then she owed her that much at least.

"…Why do you even like me?" Jamie was looking away, frowning at the ground. "All I ever do is be mean to you."

Tina paused, taking some time to organise her thoughts and replied, "I know you get annoyed easily but … I think it's just a way of keeping people away. I-I wanted to get past that, get to know the real you … I don't know … I felt that towards the end you'd come to care for me as well. Even though you didn't have to, you gave me presents. I mean, you kind of insulted me at the same time you gave me them but…" She laughed, a watery smile blossoming across her face.

A tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped away at it quickly. More tears sprang to her eyes anyway. Jamie was still looking at her, the conversation wasn't quite over but all Tina wanted to do was get home and cry by herself.

Jamie fidgeted, and after a few false starts, opened her mouth and said, "…You … I wanted to say this but … thank you for … always visiting me and smiling at me. I didn't deserve it."

Something painful twinged in Tina's chest. She couldn't smile anymore but she tried to put the depth of her feelings into her words.

"You're a good person Jamie. You're hard-working and funny … and I really enjoyed being with you."

"…I should have said something before," said Jamie, almost as if to herself, before hurriedly saying, louder, "Well, I'll be out of your way soon."

And then, very quietly - Tina could hardly hear it - she muttered, "It wouldn't have worked anyway…"

Tina's heart jumped and before she could reconsider, she reached forward and grabbed Jamie's hand. The other girl jumped and Tina said, "I like you Jamie. I … I really did want to marry you…"

She looked away, shocked at her own nerve. Jamie's hand was lifeless in hers but then she felt the other hand tentatively curl around hers and hold it. She looked and saw a slight tinge of red on Jamie's cheeks. She was blushing? She'd never once seen the other girl blush in all the time she'd been in Flower Bud village.

In a voice that was almost a whisper, the purple haired girl said, "…I don't mind."

Tina's eyes widened. A warmness was swelling up inside of her, filling her until it felt like all her feelings for Jamie were about to overflow.

When she moved she did it without thinking. She cupped Jamie's face tenderly and brought their lips together, closing her eyes. She might have made a small sound, an unconscious moan, at the perfect, beautiful culmination of her affections.

Jamie had frozen when she had kissed him but after a few seconds she felt his lips move tentatively against hers. When she felt him respond she deepened the kiss. Her right hand tangled itself in his purple hair and her left hand dropped behind his head, pulling him towards her, almost desperately. She needed him closer, needed him to hold her.

And that was when she realised she was still thinking of Jamie as a man.

She broke off abruptly. She had instinctively pushed Jamie backwards, without force, but the damage was done. Jamie's eyes were shuttered, bitterness marring her face at the perceived rejection.

Tina could feel Jamie slipping away from her. She frantically brought her hand up to grab at the other girl but something stopped her, fingers awkwardly grasping the mid-air before she dropped her hand.

"Don't-!" she started to say in desperation. "I-I just need some time to think." Jamie's face was impassive. "Please don't … misunderstand. I don't want to hurt you. I just need time to – it's all such a shock and I-I don't really understand what I'm feeling."

Jamie nodded but her expression was cold. Tina could tell the other girl didn't believe her. Summoning up her courage she closed the distance between them and hugged the other girl tightly. She pulled back a bit and, staring into shocked blue eyes, whispered, "I meant it when I said I liked you. Please … wait for me."

And then she let go and, without looking back, ran.

Jamie stared after her, her mind a mess of contradictory emotions. It should have felt like she was being rejected, abandoned, but instead, it felt like something different. A beginning. Her cheeks felt curiously tight; unbeknownst to her, her mouth was curved in a small smile.


End file.
